Shoe fitting apparatus



Dec. 27, 1938. H. v. s. MoTT l SHOE FITTING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 6, 1937v Patented Dec. 27, 1938 UNTTED STATES PATENT cerros 15 Clailns.

rihis inventionrelates to X-ray shoe fitting apparatus; and has for oneof its objects to provide means for use therewith adapted to accuratelylocate and delimit the extreme borders of the foot and also to indicateand determine the exact size measurements of the functioning foot forcorrect fitting in footwear. i

Another object of the invention is to provide means which is interposedbetween a fluorescent screen and the source of X-rays and capable oicasting shadows of a reticulated arrangement on the screen with the aidof X-rays in which the arrangement of shadow lines is such as todetermine the exact size measurements of a.

i foot either when placed within a shoe during a trial tting or withoutlthe shoe, to show the length of toes, the length of metatarsal bones,and extreme foot width when in weight bearing. v

Another object of the invention is to provide a flooring support for afoot having a foot receiving surface permeable to'X-rays upon or belowwhich are arranged elements opaque to X-rays and capable of castingshadows which are visibly differentiated in a fluorescent screen fromthe various permeable parts of the supporting door, shoe and fcotstructures to determine foot and shoe size indications for correct shoetting.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the abovecharacter which is simple and inexpensive to construct and capable ofaccurately showing the extreme width and length measurements of the footand the relation of the shoe to the foot with the aid of Roentgen orX-rays for correct shoe fitting.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, as will be more fully described, andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective View, partly in section and dottedoutline, of a foot measuring device made in accordance with my inventionand showing a foot and shoe in operative position relative to afluoroscopic screen and an X-ray tube;

Fig. 2 a transverse sectional View taken approximately on the line 2--2of Fig. 1 and showing the top of foot measuring device with the feetrepresented in a proper position to be measured for size and rit;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. Il an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line d--l ofFig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View of my foot measuringdevice, diagrammatically i1- lustrating the Vrelative position of thefoot and shoe with respect to the grid structure of my device; and

Fig. 'l' is a cross sectional View illustrating a modified form of myinvention. f

In one known method of shoe fitting as practiced in some of the shoestores there is employed an apparatus whereby a foot during a trialfitting of a shoe of supposedly the correct size is exposed to beams ofRoentgen or X-rays, and an observation made of the shadows of the footand shoe structures which are cast upon a fluorescent screen which isarranged above the shoe, in an effort to determine the location anddegree of fitting of the foot relative to the shoe. However, the resultsobtained from the use of such prior apparatus have not been satisfactorysince in such prior X-ray apparatus there is no convenient or effectivemeans of either determining the exact foot and shoe measurements inratio to shoe width or size, or of locating the exact positions of themarginal portions of the foot including the superficial tissuessurrounding the bone structure when in place within the shoe.Consequently, the results obtained therefrom areuncertain and misleadingdue to the fact that the shadows which are thrown on the fluorescentscreen and representing the outer borders of the fleshy tissues of thefoot and the contiguous parts of the shoe upper vare not capable ofbeing visibly differentiated from each other but present a confused orindistinct appearance since such parts of the foot and shoe structuresare not of sufliciently different permeabilities to the Roentgen orX-rays toshow as strong contrasting shadows in the fluorescent screen.

In order to improve the performance of this prior X-ray apparatus so asto obtain an accurate determination of the exact location and necessarymeasurements in length and width of the position of the functioning footwithin a trial shoe and also to give a correct indication when correctshoe fitting is attained, there is shown and described in my Patent No.2,1093 80, granted March l, 1938, an improved form of shoe constructionwherein a plurality of indicator markers composed of a material opaqueto Roentgen or X-rays are disposed within or upon the structure of theshoe upper and above the sole member thereof at the extreme outerborders of the foot for locating the positions of the latter by means ofshadow outlines of the markers which are cast upon a fluorescent screenand showing in strong contrast and clearly distinguishable from the shoeand foot structures in the line of vision in the field of the X-rays. Inorder to supplement my above described shoe construction and for thepurpose of rendering practicable the prior VX-ray apparatus, I furtherprovide means to assist in locating and measuring the exact size of afoot when fitting a shoe, either of the above described construction oran ordinary shoe, in which my measuring means is of a character and soconstructed as to cast shadows of a generally retiform or reticulatedpattern on a screen, fluorescent surface, sensitive plate or suitableimage receiving surface wherein the extreme length and width measurements of the foot and shoe will be readily located and delimited, eitherby falling between respective size indicating shadow lines projectedupon thek image receiving surface or by being coincident with a singleshadow line thereon extending either Vtransversely or longitudinally ofthe foot and shoe rows of shadow lines which correspond with theV usuallength and width distances of recognized standards of footV and shoemeasurements and so marked by opaque substances whereby the extremelateral and longitudinal displacements of the foot in relation to atrial shoe may be accurately determined and measured; and to this end,it is found of advantage to provide a-support or base for a foot havinga suitable foot receiving surface which is permeable or transparent toX- rays in which the measuring and locating means comprises a pluralityof separate parallel slender elongated elements disposed either upon orbelow the level of the foot receiving surface of said support, and inthe latter instance they may be either incorporated within or locatedexteriorly of the foot support; and the following is a more detaileddescription of the present embodiment of this invention, illustratingthe preferred means by which these advantageous resultsV may beaccomplished.

With reference to the drawing, the numeral I0 designates a support orbase for one or both feet and having a generally plane foot receivingsurface Il on which the person having his feet fitted to shoes standsduring the trial tting and X-ray examination, the support I beinginterposed between an X-ray device I2 and a fluorescent screen I3. Thefoot support Ili may be constructed of suitable material which ispermeable to Roentgen or X-rays, such as aluminum, wood, paper,pasteboard or other material capable of being readily penetrated by theactinic rays, and also may be made either Vas a solid or of a laminatedconstruction, as desired. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the screen I3 may bemounted in a Suitable housing, such as shown in the patent to Lowe, No.1,614,988 of January 18, 1927, in order to provide a suitable viewingchamber for enabling an observer to View the shadow images cast upon thefluoroscopic screen I3.

In order to assist in determining the exact measurement to a shoev of afoot when placed within a trial shoe and to obtain an Aaccuratemeasurement of the size and width of therfunctioning foot therein, Ihave provided measuring means either on or within the support I!! andformed of a material or substance opaque to X-rays. The measuring meansmay also be disposed either between the foot receiving surface Il of thesupport Ill and the X-ray device I2, or it may be provided upon orembodied in the top ofthe foot receiving surface II itself. However, inmy preferred construction, as shown obstructing the passage of X-rays toa degree sufficient to produce strong shadows on; the screen and visiblydistinguishable from the permeable structures of the foot and shoe. Itis also feasible to utilize a construction in which the foot receivingsurface II of the support Iil is provided with a ruled appearance havingrows of crossing lines upon or cuts (see Fig. 7) formed in the topsurface thereof. In either instance,

Y the lines or cuts will contain a substance which is opaque to X-rays.Y

In the specific embodiment of my invention, as illustrated in Figs. 2 to6, the support It) is shown as being of a laminated construction inwhich two tiers of rows of wire elements I5 and I6 respectively aredisposed between the several layers of the support, one group of rows ofparallel elements I5 being placed between the top and intermediatelayers of the support while the other group of rows of parallel elementsI6 are interposed between the intermediate and the base layers ofthesupport. It will be understood, of course, that the parallel rows ofelements I5 may run either transversely or longitudinally of thesupport, Vin which instancethe elements I8 which are also in a parallelrelationship with each other will be'arranged to run cross-wise of theelements I 5, and preferably at right angles thereto, thus casting anetwork of shadow lines upon the fluorescent screen I3 upon exposure tothe action of X-rays. As a further feasible construction which may beutilized, a wire screen may be interposed between the fluorescent screenI3 and the source of X-rays in lieu of the arrangement of wires IE-andIS, and it may be embedded either in the support II) or exteriorlydisposed between the bottom of the latter and the X-ray device I2.However, in all instances, the arrangement is such that the spacingbetween the adjacent rows of parallel wires I5 and I6, or those of ametal screen if such is used, corresponds to the usual distances ofrecognized standards of foot and shoe measurements.

In order that a determination of the positions of both feet may beobserved during a single X- raying operation, the support I0 is providedwith a central partition 2B which divides the foot receiving surface Ilinto halves, and the measuring elements I5 and I6 are disposed on eachside of the partition 20 in order to accommodate right and left footmeasurements. As shown in Fig. 2, the partition 20 extends lengthwise ofthe support E8 and disposed at one end of the latter is a heel member 2lin the form of a plate which extends transversely of the support I8 soas to provide a base or datum line from which the length'measurements ofthe feet are made. The heel member 2I may either be made rigid andupstanding on the support I0 or it may The foregoing description isdirected solely towards the construction illustrated, but I desire it tobe understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting to all themechanical changes to which the device is susceptible, the inventionbeing defined and limited only by the terms of Y Aand being so arrangedthat the shadows cast thereby on the fluorescent screen will formintersecting rows of shadow lines the spacings between which correspondwith the usual length and width distances of recognized standards offoot and shoe measurements whereby the extreme lateral and longitudinaldimensions oi' the foot to and including the outer limits of Ythesuperiicial tissue surrounding the foot structure at these locations maybe located measured ,for determining correct shoe fitting.

2. In a shoe tting and foot measuring apparatus, the combination with asource of X-rays and a fluorescent screen, of a support for a footinterposed between said X-ray source and ,the fluorescent screen, saidsupport having a suitable foot receiving surface adapted for a person tostand on and permeable to X-rays,

and means opaque to X-rays carried by said sup-V port and disposed belowthe foot supporting surface thereof, said means being arranged in theline of vision between said screen and said source of X-rays, said meansbeing of such a character as to provide a plurality of spaced denselinear areas in the path of the rays and being so arranged that theshadows cast thereby on the uorescent screen will form intersecting rowsof shadow lines the spacings between which correspond with the usuallength and width distances of recognized standards-of foot and shoemeasurements whereby the extreme lateral and longitudinal displacementsof the foot in relation to a shoe and to and including the outer limitsof superficial tissue surrounding the foot structure at these locationsmay be located and measured {J5-,for determining correct shoe fitting.

3. In a shoe tting apparatus comprising a support having a footreceiving surface permeable to Roentgen or X-rays, a Roentgen or X-raytube, an image receiving member, means carriedr said support and beneaththe foot receiving surface thereof for locating and measuring theextreme lateral and longitudinal displacement of the root relative to ashoe under observation in the line of vision, said measuring meanscorn-l prising two groups of rows of long narrow spaced elementscomposed of a material opaque to X-rays and arranged in the ield of thebeam of the rays, the elements of one group being disposed at a rightangle to those of the other group so that the shadows cast thereby onthe image receiving member will be of a retiform character in which thespacing between the shadow lines of the respective groups correspondswith the usual length and width distancesY of recognized standards offoot and shoe measurements,

and means opaque toX-rays and cooperating with said measuring means toprovide reference lines relative to which said measurements are made.

4. In a shoe fitting apparatus, the combination with a source of X-rays,and a fluorescent screen, of a support for a foot, a centrallongitudinally extending partition thereon, said partition beingprovided with transverse flange portions the outer longitudinal sideedges of which form datum lines for each foot and from which the widthoi' foot is measured, a plurality of rows of longitudinally extendingslender measuring elements arranged at fixed distances from the outeredges of said flanges and corresponding to the usual width distances ofrecognized standards of foot and shoe measurements, a transverse heelmember disposed at right angles to said partition and in an uprightposition, the inner face of said heel member serving to form adatum linefrom which the length measurements of a foot or feet are determined andproviding a right angle corner with the outer edges of said flanges forreceiving the heel of the foot or the shoe, and a plurality of rows ofslender transverse measuring elements arranged at fixed distances fromthe inner edge of said heel member and corresponding to the usual lengthdistances of recognized standards of foot and shoe measurements, whereinthe extreme width and length displacements of a root and shoe will belocated and measured.

5. In a shoe fitting and foot measuring apparatus, the combination witha source of X-rays, and a fluorescent screen, of a support for a foot, acentral longitudinally extending partition fixed on said support, saidpartition being provided with transverse flange portions the outerlongitudinal side edges of which form datum lines for each foot and fromwhich the width of foot is measured, a plurality of rows oflongitudinally extending slender measuring elements arranged at iixeddistances from the outer edges of said nangesand corresponding to theusual width distances of recognized standards of foot and shoemeasurements, a movable transverse heel engaging member adapted to bepositioned at right angles to said iiXed partition in an uprightposition, the inner face of said heel member when so positioned servingtoform a datum line from which the length measurements of a foot or feetare determined and providing a right angle corner with the outer edgesof said flanges for receiving the heel of the foot or the shoe, and aplurality of rows of slender'transverse measuring elements arranged atxed distances from the inner edge of said heel member and correspondingto the usual length distances of recognized standards of foot and shoemeasurements, wherein the extreme width and length displacements or" afoot .in relation to a shoe will be located and measured.

6. In a shoe fitting apparatus, the combination with a source of X-rays,and a iiuorescent screen, of a support for a foot, a centrallongitudinally extending partition thereon,V said partition beingprovided with transverse flange portions the outer longitudinal sideedges of which form datum lines for each foot and from which the Widthof foot is measured, a plurality of rows of longitudinally extendingslender measuring elements arranged at fixed distances from the outeredges of said flanges and corresponding to the usual Width distances ofrecognized standards of foot and shoe measurements, a transverse heelmember disposed at right angles to said partition and in an 'uprightposition, the inner face ofsai'd'heel'memyportV and said groups ofmeasuring elements ber serving to form a datum line from which thelength measurementsof afoot or feet are determined and providing a rightvangle corner with the outer edges of said iianges for receiving theheel of the foot or the shoe, and a plurality of rows of slendertransverse measuring elements arranged at fixed distances from the inneredge of said heel member and corresponding to the usual length distancesof recognized standards of foot and shoe measurements, wherein theextreme width and length displacements of -a foot and shoe will belocated and measured, said outer edges of said flanged transverseportion-s being composed of a material opaque to X-rays and providing anabutment for the inner margins of the foot and shoe. f

7. In a shoe fitting apparatus, the combination with a source of X-rays,a iiuorescent screen, and

`a shoe having a pair of opposed index markers opaque to X-rays andcarried bythe shoe upper above the sole at the iirst and fifthmetatarsophalangeal joints of the foot, of a support for a foot, acentral longitudinally extending partition thereon, said partition beingprovided with trans'- verse flange portions the 'outer longitudinal sideedges of which form datum lines for each foot and from which the widthof foot is measured, a plurality of rows of longitudinally extendingslender measuring elements arranged at iixed distances from the outeredges of said iianges and corresponding to the usual Width distances ofrecognized standards of foot and shoe measurements, a transverse heelmember disposed at fright angles to said partition and in an uprightposition, the inner face of said heel member serving to form a datumline from which the length measurements of a foot or feet are determinedand providing a right angle corner with the outer edges of said flangesfor receiving the "heel of the foot or the shoe, and a plurality of'rows of slender transverse measuring elements arranged at xed distancesfrom the inner edge of Asaid heel member and corresponding to the usuallength distances of recognized standards of foot and shoe measurements,wherein the extreme width and length displacements of a 'foot and lshoewill be locatedand measured, the extreme lateral displacement of saidindex markers in the shoe upper 'being accurately located and measuredby matching with iixed shadow lines cast bythe rows of slender measuringelements on' the 'screen by the action of X-rays.

8. In a shoe fitting and foot measuring apparatus, in combination, asupport having a foot rec'eiving surface permeable -to Roentgen orX-rays,

a Roentgen or X-ray tube beneath said support, a luorescent screenspaced above said support, and means in'position for observation by aperson standing upon said support with the feet between the support andthe screen for locating and measuring the extreme lateral andlongitudinal "displacement of the foot relative to a shoe, Asaidmeasuring means comprisingtwo groups of rows of long narrow spacedelements composed of a material opaque to X-rays and arranged in the eldofthe beam of the rays, the elements of one group being disposed at aright angle to those of the other group so that the shadows cast therebyon the fluorescent screen will be of a generally reticulated pattern inwhich the vspacing between the shadow lines ofthe respective groupscorresponds with the usual length and' width distances of recognizedstandards of foot and shoe measurements, and means associated with saidsupadapted to provide reference or base lines rela- 'tive to which saidmeasurements are made and 'of a character as tocast a visible shadow onthe image-receiving member.

r9. vIn a shoe fitting and foot measuring apparatus, the'combinationwith a source of X-rays, a fluorescent screen, and a shoe provided withan .tindex marker opaque to X-'rays, of a device between said screen andsaid source of X-rays in position for usein visually determining Aandmeasuring by means of shadow images cast on the Vscreen 'by X-ray's theextreme width and length size measurements ofa foot and the relation ofVthe shoe to the 'foot for correct shoe fitting and foot measuring,'saiddevice comprising a foot support on which a person is to standwhile being measured for correct shoe fitting and made of'a materialpermeable to yX-rays, means associated vwith said support comprising twointersecting sets ured, when the heelof the foot or the `shoe at theheel level and the inside marginal portion of the foot or shoe, on thebig toe side, are held snugly in contact against said side surfaces ofsaid partition means, the position of the opaque marker Vin the shoebeing located `and measured by the adjacency of its image to one of theseries of shadow-imagescast on the screen by the parallelopaquemembersof said support under theaotion of X-rays.

l0. A device adaptedV for use in visually determining foot `sizemeasurements 'under theaction ,ofv X-rays comprising la support for a'foot and `made of va material readily permeable to X-rays and having afloor surface on which a person is to stand, means extending upwardlyfrom the floor surface of said'support and Aprovided with opposite sideface portions made of a material opaque to X-rays and adapted forengagement with the Vinner marginal sides of the foot and heel when thefoot, with or without a shoe, is placed in a proper size measuringposition, heel engaging means adapted to'extend upwardly from the floorof said support and provided with a side portion madeof a materialopaque to X-rays and disposed laterally of the support so that the lineof contactwiththe foot will be substantially at right angles to that ofthe side portions of said iirst named means to Tprovide a generallyright angle corner for the reception of the heels of the feet, and sizemeasuring means made of a material opaque to X-rays and disposed on saidsupport v1n a predetermined spaced arrangement from the respective tfootand Yheel engaging portions of the 'iirst named and second named means,the spacing ofV said measuring means corresponding to the usual lengthand'width distances of recogextending upright partition thereon, theopposite longitudinal side faces of which are of a character as to casta visible shadow upon a fluorescent screen by the action of X-rays andform datum lines for each foot from which the width oi' 'root ismeasured, a plurality of rows of longitudinally extending slendermeasuring elements associated with said support and arranged at oppositesides of said partition at xed distances from said longitudinal sidefaces of the partition, the spacing between said measuring elementscorresponding to the usual width distances of recognized standards offoot and shoe measurements, a

transverse heel member disposed at right anglesV to said partition andpositionable in an upright position, the inner face of said heel memberbeing of a character capable of casting a visible shadow upon a screenby the action of.X-rays, the inner face of said heel member serving toform a datum line from which the length measurements of a foot or feetare determined and providing a right angle corner for the reception ofthe heel of the foot or shoe at the heel level, and a plurality of rowsof laterally extending slender measuring elements arranged at fixeddistances from the inner side face of said heel member and correspondingto the usual length distances of recognized standards of foot and shoemeasurements, wherein the extreme width and length displacements of afoot with or without a shoe, will be located and measured for correctshoe tting.

12. A device adapted for use in visually determining foot sizemeasurements by means of shadow images cast on an image receiving memberby X-rays, comprising a foot support member made of a material readilypermeable to o X-rays, partition means extending upwardly from the topsurface of said member and adapted to divide the same into a pluralityof foot receiving floor sections upon which a person will stand whilethe feet are being measured for correct shoe fitting, means extendingtransversely of said support and disposed at right angles to saidpartition and adapted to form with a pair of side faces of the latter aright angle corner for the reception of the heel of each foot or shoe,and measuring means incorporated Within the foot support membercomprising a plurality of intersecting rows of spaced parallel wiresarranged to form a generally reticulated pattern and made of a materialopaque to X-rays, the spacing between said measuring elementscorresponding to the usual length'and width distances of recognizedstandards of footand shoe measurements wherein the extreme width andlength vdimensions of a foot, with or without a shoe, will be locatedand measured with reference to said partition means and said heelengaging means.V Y

13. A device for use in a shoe fitting and foot measuring apparatus forVvisually determining foot size measurements by means of l shadow imagescast on a fluorescent screen by X-rays, comprising a foot support membermade of a material readily permeable to X-rays, partition meansextending upwardly from the top surface" of said member and adapted todivide the same into a plurality of foot receiving oor sections uponwhich a person will stand while the feet are being measured for correctshoe fitting, means extending transversely of said support and disposedat right angles to said partition and adapted to form with a pair ofside facesof the latter a right angle corner for the reception of theheel of each foot'or shoe, and measuring means incorporated within thefoot support member comprising a plurality of intersecting rows ofspaced parallel Wires arranged to form a generally reticulated patternand made of a material opaque to X-rays, the spacing between saidmeasuring elements corresponding to the usual length and width distancesof recognized standards of foot and shoe measurements wherein theextreme Width and length dimensions of a foot, with or without a shoe,will be located and measured with reference to said partition means andsaid heel engaging means, said partition means having flange portionsextending from opposite side faces and being positioned at a distanceabove said foot receiving oor sections to contact with the innermarginal sides of a foot or shoe and adapted to form datum lines visibleon the screen by X-rays from which said width measurements are made.

14. An X-ray apparatus for use in visually determining foot measurementsfor fitting shoes, comprising the combination of a foot supportpermeable to X-rays and forming a platform on which a person may standwith one or both feet fto be measured when in body weight bearingposition, an X-ray tube positioned at one side of such foot Vandarranged to direct its rays through the same, a fluorescent screendisposed at the opposite side of such foot in a position spaced fromsaid X-ray tube and in the path of such rays, and means opaque to X-rayspositioned in the path of suchrrays for casting an image on the screenfor observation and visual determination of foot measurements, saidmeans being so constructed and arranged as to cast on said screen Vaplurality of sets of intersecting spaced shadow lines, the spacingsbetween said lines being such as to provide a system of coordinateswhereby the extreme width of the foot vand the diierence in lengthpositions of the distal ends of the metatarsal bones from the rst to thefifth joints inclusive -may be located and measured for determiningtheir relative positions and the amount of inclination of the area ofbody weight bearing that they form across the ball of the functioningfoot for correct shoe size of the foot.

15. In a shoe fitting and foot measuring apparatus, the combination witha source of X-rays and a uorescent screen in spaced relation thereto inthe path of such rays, of a support for a foot arranged between saidsource of X-rays and said iiuorescent screen, said foot support beingpermeable to X-rays and forming a platform on which a person may standwith one or both feet to be measured when in body weight bearingposition, and means opaque to X-rays and part of said foot support, saidmeans being so constructed and arranged as to provide a reticulatedarrangement of dense linear areas in the path of the X-rays so that theshadows Ycast thereby on the fluorescent screen will form intersectingrows of shadow lines, the spacings of which will corre- Vspond with theusual' length and width distances of recognized standards of foot andshoe measurements -whereby the extreme width of the foot, the relativelongitudinal positions of the distal ends of the metatarsal bones andthe difference in their length at the ball of the foot when in bodyWeight bearing position may be shown and measured for determiningcorrect shoe fitting.

HOWARD V. S. MOTT.

